Many homeowners don’t know this, but you have to flush a tankless water heater annually just like a tank water heater. Flushing the system is a great way to keep it free from build-up and running great. But can you flush a tankless water heater on your own?
The short answer is yes, but our team does not recommend a DIY tankless water heater flush. If you need any type of water heater maintenance, we can help. Keep reading to learn more about why you only want to let a plumbing expert flush your tankless system. We’ll also review the signs that your tankless water heater is in need of a system flush if you’ve never had it done before.
Dangers of a DIY Tankless Water Heater Flush
One of the biggest concerns with flushing your tankless heater yourself is that you don’t know what you’re doing. Sure, you can get online and find a do-it-yourself tutorial and try to follow it yourself. But there are many brands and types of tankless water heaters, and each one is a little different from the others. If you do something wrong, you can cause a lot more damage than good.
That can lead to more costly repairs than if you had just invested in an expert service to begin with. Even worse than damaging your water heater, you could hurt yourself during the process. And if you do any work yourself on your tankless water heater, it can void your manufacturer’s warranty. So if something goes wrong a couple years from now, your manufacturer’s warranty will not cover any problems.
Signs of Tankless Water Heater Problems
You might need to flush your tankless water heater if you notice changes in the water quality. Your hot water may suddenly appear, cloudy or discolored from rust. You may also notice that you lose water pressure when you use hot water. This can be caused by sediment buildup inside of the tankless water heater lines as a result of hard water.
Keep in mind that if you notice these problems with both hot and cold water, your tankless water heater is probably not the problem. Instead, you may have issues with your broader plumbing system. It’s also important to consider that the same problems impacting a tankless water heater can also impact other areas of your home. If you have sediment buildup inside of your tankless water heater, that same sediment is also affecting other plumbing systems. It may be a good idea to have our team look at other plumbing needs while we are at your home.
Reasons to Flush Your Tankless Water Heater
If you’re not having any of the problems mentioned above, you may be wondering if it’s even necessary to flush your tankless water heater. The short answer is yes, it is necessary. If you refer back to your manufacturer’s warranty, many tankless water heaters require an annual system flush as part of homeowner maintenance. If you don’t take care of your water heater and related equipment the way you need to, the warranty may not pay for repairs or replacement parts down the road.
Contact your HVAC and plumbing experts at Rentmeister Total Home Service today to schedule an appointment.